A. Braghieri

Information on the size and shape of the neutron skin on $^{208}$Pb has been extracted from coherent pion photoproduction cross sections measured using the Crystal Ball together with the Glasgow tagger at the MAMI electron beam facility. On exploitation of an interpolated fit of a theoretical model to the measured cross sections the half-height radius and diffuseness of the neutron distribution are found to be 6.70$\pm 0.03(stat)$ fm and 0.55$\pm 0.01(stat)$$^{+0.02}_{-0.03}(sys)$ fm respectively, corresponding to a neutron skin thickness $\Delta r_{np}$=0.15$\pm 0.03(stat)$$^{+0.01}_{-0.03}(sys)$ fm. The results give the first successful extraction of a neutron skin with an electromagnetic probe and indicate the skin of $^{208}$Pb has a halo character. The measurement provides valuable new constraints on both the structure of nuclei and the equation of state for neutron-rich matter.

Abstract A muon collider would enable the big jump ahead in energy reach that is needed for a fruitful exploration of fundamental interactions. The challenges of producing muon collisions at high luminosity and 10 TeV centre of mass energy are being investigated by the recently-formed International Muon Collider Collaboration. This Review summarises the status and the recent advances on muon colliders design, physics and detector studies. The aim is to provide a global perspective of the field and to outline directions for future work.

The small electric quadrupole $E2$ amplitude of the predominantly magnetic dipole $M1$ $p\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\Delta}(1232)$ transition has been measured using 270 to 420 MeV tagged linearly polarized photons in the $p(\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\ensuremath{\gamma}},p){\ensuremath{\pi}}^{o}$ reaction at the Mainz Microtron MAMI. Differential cross sections and photon asymmetries were determined by measuring the recoil proton in the cylindrically symmetric $4\ensuremath{\pi}$ detector DAPHNE. From the proton angular distributions the ratio $E2/M1\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}\ensuremath{-}(2.5\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.2\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.2)%$ at the maximum of the $\ensuremath{\Delta}(1232)$ resonance has been derived.

The gp-->etap reaction has been measured with the Crystal Ball and TAPS multiphoton spectrometers in the energy range from the production threshold of 707 MeV to 1.4 GeV (1.49 =< W >= 1.87 GeV). Bremsstrahlung photons produced by the 1.5-GeV electron beam of the Mainz Microtron MAMI-C and momentum analyzed by the Glasgow Tagging Spectrometer were used for the eta-meson production. Our accumulation of 3.8 x 10^6 gp-->etap-->3pi0p-->6gp events allows a detailed study of the reaction dynamics. The gp-->etap differential cross sections were determined for 120 energy bins and the full range of the production angles. Our data show a dip near W = 1680 MeV in the total cross section caused by a substantial dip in eta production at forward angles. The data are compared to predictions of previous SAID and MAID partial-wave analyses and to thelatest SAID and MAID fits that have included our data.

A direct measurement of the helicity dependence of the total photoabsorption cross section on the proton was carried out at MAMI (Mainz) in the energy range 200 < E_gamma < 800 MeV. The experiment used a 4$\pi$ detection system, a circularly polarized tagged photon beam and a frozen spin target. The contributions to the Gerasimov-Drell-Hearn sum rule and to the forward spin polarizability $\gamma_0$ determined from the data are 226 \pm 5 (stat)\pm 12(sys) \mu b and -187 \pm 8 (stat)\pm 10(sys)10^{-6} fm^4, respectively, for 200 < E_\gamma < 800 MeV.

Tagged linearly polarized photons have been used at the Mainz Microtron (MAMI) for simultaneous measurements of the $p(\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\ensuremath{\gamma}},p){\ensuremath{\pi}}^{0}$ and $p(\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\ensuremath{\gamma}},{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+})n$ reaction channels to study the $\ensuremath{\gamma}\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{N}\ensuremath{\Delta}(1232)$ transition. The energy dependence of the magnetic dipole ${M}_{1+}^{3/2}$ and electric quadrupole ${E}_{1+}^{3/2}$ amplitudes have been extracted from these data in the photon energy range from $270$ to 420 MeV. The $E2/M1$ ratio for the $\ensuremath{\gamma}\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{N}\ensuremath{\Delta}(1232)$ transition has been determined to be $\ensuremath{-}(2.5\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}{0.1}_{\mathrm{stat}}\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}{0.2}_{\mathrm{sys}})%$ at the resonance position $({\ensuremath{\delta}}_{33}=90\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}).$

Coherent photoproduction of η-mesons off 3He, i.e. the reaction γ3He→η3He, has been investigated in the near-threshold region. The experiment was performed at the Glasgow tagged photon facility of the Mainz MAMI accelerator with the combined Crystal Ball – TAPS detector. Angular distributions and the total cross section were measured using the η→γγ and η→3π0→6γ decay channels. The observed extremely sharp rise of the cross section at threshold and the behavior of the angular distributions are evidence for a strong ηHe3 final state interaction, pointing to the existence of a resonant state. The search for further evidence of this state in the excitation function of π0-proton back-to-back emission in the γ3He→π0pX reaction revealed a very complicated structure of the background and could not support previous conclusions.

The total cross sections for the three γp → Nππ reactions have been measured for photon energies from 400 to 800 MeV. The γp → pπ0π0 and γp → nπ+π0 cross sections have never been measured before while the γp → pπ+π− results are much improved compared to earlier data. These measurements were performed with the large acceptance hadronic detector DAPHNE, at the tagged photon beam facility of the MAMI microtron in Mainz.

The total photoabsorption cross sections for $^{1}\mathrm{H}$, $^{2}\mathrm{H}$, and $^{3}\mathrm{He}$ have been measured for incident photon energies ranging from 200 to 800 MeV. The $^{3}\mathrm{He}$ data are the first for this nucleus. By using the large acceptance detector DAPHNE in conjunction with the tagged photon beam facility of the MAMI accelerator in Mainz, cross sections of high precision have been obtained. The results show clearly the changes in the nucleon resonances in going from $^{1}\mathrm{H}$ to $^{3}\mathrm{He}$. In particular, for the ${\mathit{D}}_{13}$ region the behavior for $^{3}\mathrm{He}$ is intermediate between that for $^{1}\mathrm{H}$, $^{2}\mathrm{H}$, and heavier nuclei. This will provide a strong constraint to the theories that are presently being developed with a view to explaining the apparent ``damping'' of higher resonances in heavy nuclei. \textcopyright{} 1996 The American Physical Society.

The helicity dependence of the single pion photoproduction on the proton has been measured in the energy range from 200 to 450 MeV for the first time. The experiment, performed at the Mainz microtron MAMI, used a 4π-detector system, a circularly polarized, tagged photon beam, and a frozen-spin target. The data obtained provide new information for multipole analyses of pion photoproduction and determine the main contributions to the Gerasimov-Drell-Hearn sum rule and the forward spin polarizability γ0.Received 6 January 2000DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.84.5950©2000 American Physical Society

A large-acceptance (94% of 4π sr) hadron detector capable of handling multiparticle final states is described. The track reconstruction capability, energy resolution, particle identification capability and neutral-particle detection efficiency of the detector are discussed and the results of tests shown. Tests have been performed both with cosmic rays and in a realistic experimental situation using a 500 MeV photon beam impinging on hydrogen and deuterium targets.

The dynamics of the $\eta\to 3\pi^0$ decay have been studied with the Crystal Ball multiphoton spectrometer and the TAPS calorimeter. Bremsstrahlung photons produced by the 1.5-GeV electron beam of the Mainz microtron MAMI-C and tagged by the Glasgow photon spectrometer were used for $\eta$-meson production. The analysis of $3 \times 10^6$ $\gamma p \to \eta p \to 3\pi^0 p \to 6\gamma p$ events yields the value $\alpha=-0.032\pm0.003$ for the $\eta\to 3\pi^0$ slope parameter, which agrees with the majority of recent experimental results and has the smallest uncertainty. The $\pi^0\pi^0$ invariant-mass spectrum was investigated for the occurrence of a cusplike structure in the vicinity of the $\pi^+\pi^-$ threshold. The observed effect is small and does not affect our measured value for the slope parameter.

Measurements of γp→K+Λ and γp→K+Σ0 cross-sections have been obtained with the photon tagging facility and the Crystal Ball calorimeter at MAMI-C. The measurement uses a novel K+ meson identification technique in which the weak decay products are characterized using the energy and timing characteristics of the energy deposit in the calorimeter, a method that has the potential to be applied at many other facilities. The fine center-of-mass energy (W) resolution and statistical accuracy of the new data results in a significant impact on partial wave analyses aiming to better establish the excitation spectrum of the nucleon. The new analyses disfavor a strong role for quark–diquark dynamics in the nucleon.

Differential and total cross sections for the quasifree reactions $\gamma p\rightarrow\eta p$ and $\gamma n\rightarrow\eta n$ have been determined at the MAMI-C electron accelerator using a liquid deuterium target. Photons were produced via bremsstrahlung from the 1.5 GeV incident electron beam and energy-tagged with the Glasgow photon tagger. Decay photons of the neutral decay modes $\eta\rightarrow 2\gamma$ and $\eta\rightarrow 3\pi^0 \rightarrow 6\gamma$ and coincident recoil nucleons were detected in a combined setup of the Crystal Ball and the TAPS calorimeters. The $\eta$-production cross sections were measured in coincidence with recoil protons, recoil neutrons, and in an inclusive mode without a condition on recoil nucleons, which allowed a check of the internal consistency of the data. The effects from nuclear Fermi motion were removed by a kinematic reconstruction of the final-state invariant mass and possible nuclear effects on the quasifree cross section were investigated by a comparison of free and quasifree proton data. The results, which represent a significant improvement in statistical quality compared to previous measurements, agree with the known neutron-to-proton cross-section ratio in the peak of the $S_{11}(1535)$ resonance and confirm a peak in the neutron cross section, which is absent for the proton, at a center-of-mass energy $W = (1670\pm 5)$ MeV with an intrinsic width of $\Gamma\approx 30$ MeV.

An experimental study of $\omega$ photoproduction on the proton was conducted by using the Crystal Ball and TAPS multiphoton spectrometers together with the photon tagging facility at the Mainz Microtron MAMI. The $\gamma p\to\omega p$ differential cross sections are measured from threshold to the incident-photon energy $E_\gamma=1.40$ GeV ($W=1.87$ GeV for the center-of-mass energy) with 15-MeV binning in $E_\gamma$ and full production-angle coverage. The quality of the present data near threshold gives access to a variety of interesting physics aspects. As an example, an estimation of the $\omega N$ scattering length $\alpha_{\omega p}$ is provided.

Vascular access used in the treatment of patients involves central and peripheral vein accesses and arterial accesses. Catheterization of central veins is widely used in clinical practice; it is a necessary part of the treatment of patients in various settings. The most commonly involved vessels are the internal jugular, subclavian, and femoral veins. The mechanical, infectious, and thrombotic complications of central venous catheterization are markedly reduced when the procedure is performed with real-time ultrasound guidance or (to a slightly lesser extent) ultrasound assistance. Ultrasound guidance is also used to create peripheral venous accesses, for catheterization of peripheral veins and for peripheral insertion of central venous catheters. In this setting, it increases the catheterization success rate, especially during difficult procedures (e.g., obese patients, children) and reduces complications such as catheter-related infections and venous thrombosis. Arterial cannulation is used for invasive monitoring of arterial pressure and for access during diagnostic or therapeutic procedures. Ultrasound guidance reduces the risk of catheterization failure and complications. It is especially useful for arterial catheterization procedures performed in the absence of a palpable pulse (e.g., patient in shock, ECMO). Imaging support is being used increasingly to facilitate the creation of vascular accesses under difficult conditions, in part because of the growing use of ultrasonography as a bedside procedure. In clinical settings where patients are becoming increasingly vulnerable as a result of advanced age and/or complex disease, the possibility to reduce the risks associated with these invasive procedures should motivate clinicians to acquire the technical skills needed for routine use of sonographic support during vascular access procedures. Gli accessi vascolari utilizzati nella cura dei pazienti comprendono gli accessi venosi centrali e periferici e gli accessi arteriosi. L’incannulamento di accessi venosi centrali è manovra largamente diffusa nella pratica clinica e si rende necessaria per la cura dei pazienti in molteplici contesti. I vasi centrali che usualmente vengono incannulati sono la vena giugulare interna, la vena succlavia e la vena femorale. Nell’incannulamento venoso centrale sia l’eco-assistenza che l’eco-guida real time, pur con una leggera superiorità di quest’ultima, riducono drasticamente le complicanze meccaniche, infettive e trombotiche. La guida ecografica viene utilizzata anche per l’accesso venoso periferico, per l’incannulamento di vasi periferici e di vasi centrali a inserzione periferica (PICC). In questo contesto la guida ecografica aumenta il successo della manovra di incannulamento soprattutto in condizioni di difficoltà, come avviene nei pazienti obesi o nei bambini, e diminuisce le complicanze quali le infezioni catetere correlate e le trombosi venose. L’incannulamento arterioso viene utilizzato per il monitoraggio cruento della pressione arteriosa e per garantire un accesso in caso di manovre diagnostiche e terapeutiche. La guida ecografica riduce il rischio di insuccesso, le complicanze e può essere utile per l’incannulamento arterioso soprattutto nei casi in cui non e’ reperibile un polso (shock, pazienti in ECMO). Il supporto dell’imaging per gli accessi vascolari difficili si sta quindi diffondendo rapidamente anche perchè è sempre più frequente l’impiego degli ultrasuoni nella pratica clinica al letto del malato. Nei contesti clinici attuali dove i pazienti sono sempre più fragili perchè anziani e con patologie più complesse, avere la possibilità di ridurre i rischi connessi alle metodiche invasive deve spingere i clinici ad acquisire le abilità tecniche per l’utilizzo routinario del supporto ultrasonografico per gli accessi vascolari difficili.

The photoproduction of η mesons off nucleons bound in 2H and 3He has been measured in coincidence with recoil protons and recoil neutrons for incident photon energies from threshold up to 1.4 GeV. The experiments were performed at the Mainz MAMI accelerator, using the Glasgow tagged photon facility. Decay photons from the η→2γ and η→3π0 decays and the recoil nucleons were detected with an almost 4π electromagnetic calorimeter combining the Crystal Ball and TAPS detectors. The data from both targets are of excellent statistical quality and show a narrow structure in the excitation function of γn→nη. The results from the two measurements are consistent, taking into account the expected effects from nuclear Fermi motion. The best estimates for position and intrinsic width of the structure are W=(1670±5) MeV and Γ=(30±15) MeV. For the first time precise results for the angular dependence of this structure have been extracted.Received 10 October 2013DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.111.232001© 2013 American Physical Society

The reactions γp→ηp and γp→η^{'}p are measured from their thresholds up to the center-of-mass energy W=1.96 GeV with the tagged-photon facilities at the Mainz Microtron, MAMI. Differential cross sections are obtained with unprecedented statistical accuracy, providing fine energy binning and full production-angle coverage. A strong cusp is observed in the total cross section for η photoproduction at the energies in the vicinity of the η^{'} threshold, W=1896 MeV (E_{γ}=1447 MeV). Within the framework of a revised ηMAID isobar model, the cusp, in connection with a steep rise of the η^{'} total cross section from its threshold, can only be explained by a strong coupling of the poorly known N(1895)1/2^{-} state to both ηp and η^{'}p. Including the new high-accuracy results in the ηMAID fit to available η and η^{'} photoproduction data allows the determination of the N(1895)1/2^{-} properties.

The Dalitz decay $\ensuremath{\eta}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{e}^{+}{e}^{\ensuremath{-}}\ensuremath{\gamma}$ has been measured in the $\ensuremath{\gamma}p\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\eta}p$ reaction with the Crystal Ball and TAPS multiphoton spectrometers, together with the photon-tagging facility at the Mainz Microtron MAMI. The experimental statistic used in this work is one order of magnitude greater than in any previous measurement of $\ensuremath{\eta}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{e}^{+}{e}^{\ensuremath{-}}\ensuremath{\gamma}$. The value obtained for the slope parameter ${\ensuremath{\Lambda}}^{\ensuremath{-}2}$ of the $\ensuremath{\eta}$ transition form factor, ${\ensuremath{\Lambda}}^{\ensuremath{-}2}=(1.95\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.{15}_{\mathrm{stat}}\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.{10}_{\mathrm{syst}})$ GeV${}^{\ensuremath{-}2}$, is in good agreement with recent measurements conducted in $\ensuremath{\eta}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{e}^{+}{e}^{\ensuremath{-}}\ensuremath{\gamma}$ and $\ensuremath{\eta}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{\ensuremath{\mu}}^{+}{\ensuremath{\mu}}^{\ensuremath{-}}\ensuremath{\gamma}$ decays, as well as with recent form-factor calculations. The uncertainty obtained in the value of ${\ensuremath{\Lambda}}^{\ensuremath{-}2}$ is lower compared to results from previous measurements of the $\ensuremath{\eta}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{e}^{+}{e}^{\ensuremath{-}}\ensuremath{\gamma}$ decay.

To verify the fundamental Gerasimov-Drell-Hearn (GDH) sum rule for the first time experimentally, we measured the helicity dependent total photoabsorption cross section with circularly polarized real photons and longitudinally polarized nucleons in the photon energy range 0.68-1.82 GeV with the tagged photon facility at ELSA. The experiment was carried out with a 4pi detection system, a circularly polarized tagged photon beam, and a frozen spin polarized proton target. The contribution to the GDH sum rule in this photon energy range is [49.9+/-2.4(stat)+/-2.2(syst)] microb.

Total and differential cross-sections for the reaction $\ensuremath \gamma p\rightarrow\pi^0\eta p$ have been measured with the Crystal Ball/TAPS detector using the tagged photon facility at the MAMI C accelerator in Mainz. In the energy range $\ensuremath E_{\gamma} = 0.95\mbox{--}1.4$ GeV the reaction is dominated by the excitation and sequential decay of the $\ensuremath \Delta(1700)D_{33}$ -resonance. Angular distributions measured with high statistics allow us to determine the ratio of hadronic decay widths $\ensuremath \Gamma_{\eta\Delta}/\Gamma_{\pi S_{11}}$ and the ratio of the helicity amplitudes $\ensuremath A_{3/2}/A_{1/2}$ for this resonance.

The gamma p --> pi0 pi0 p reaction has been measured from threshold to 1.4 GeV using the Crystal Ball and TAPS photon spectrometers together with the photon tagging facility at the Mainz Microtron. The experimental results include total and differential cross sections as well as specific angular distributions, which were used to extract partial-wave amplitudes. In particular, the energy region below the D13(1520) resonance was studied.

The Dalitz decay η→γe+e− has been measured using the combined Crystal Ball and TAPS photon detector setup at the electron accelerator MAMI-C. Compared to the most recent transition form-factor measurement in the e+e− channel, statistics have been improved by one order of magnitude. The e+e− invariant mass distribution shows a deviation from the QED prediction for a point-like particle, which can be described by a form-factor. Using the usual monopole transition form-factor parameterization, F(m2)=(1−m2/Λ2)−1, a value of Λ−2=(1.92±0.35(stat)±0.13(syst)) GeV−2 has been determined. This value is in good agreement with a recent measurement of the η Dalitz decay in the μ+μ− channel and with recent form-factor calculations. An improved value of the branching ratio BR(η→γe+e−)=(6.6±0.4(stat)±0.4(syst))⋅10−3 has been determined.

A precision measurement of the differential cross sections dσ/dΩ and the linearly polarized photon asymmetry Σ≡(dσ⊥-dσ∥)/(dσ⊥+dσ∥) for the γp→π0p reaction in the near-threshold region has been performed with a tagged photon beam and almost 4π detector at the Mainz Microtron. The Glasgow-Mainz photon tagging facility along with the Crystal Ball/TAPS multiphoton detector system and a cryogenic liquid hydrogen target were used. These data allowed for a precise determination of the energy dependence of the real parts of the S- and all three P-wave amplitudes for the first time and provide the most stringent test to date of the predictions of chiral perturbation theory and its energy region of agreement with experiment.

The spin polarizabilities of the nucleon describe how the spin of the nucleon responds to an incident polarized photon. The most model-independent way to extract the nucleon spin polarizabilities is through polarized Compton scattering. Double-polarized Compton scattering asymmetries on the proton were measured in the Δ(1232) region using circularly polarized incident photons and a transversely polarized proton target at the Mainz Microtron. Fits to asymmetry data were performed using a dispersion model calculation and a baryon chiral perturbation theory calculation, and a separation of all four proton spin polarizabilities in the multipole basis was achieved. The analysis based on a dispersion model calculation yields γE1E1=−3.5±1.2, γM1M1=3.16±0.85, γE1M2=−0.7±1.2, and γM1E2=1.99±0.29, in units of 10−4 fm4.Received 6 August 2014DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.114.112501© 2015 American Physical Society

Differential cross sections for the gamma p -> pi^0 p reaction have been measured with the A2 tagged-photon facilities at the Mainz Microtron, MAMI C, up to the center-of-mass energy W=1.9 GeV. The new results, obtained with a fine energy and angular binning, increase the existing quantity of pi^0 photoproduction data by ~47%. Owing to the unprecedented statistical accuracy and the full angular coverage, the results are sensitive to high partial-wave amplitudes. This is demonstrated by the decomposition of the differential cross sections in terms of Legendre polynomials and by further comparison to model predictions. A new solution of the SAID partial-wave analysis obtained after adding the new data into the fit is presented.

We present new data for the transverse target asymmetry T and the very first data for the beam-target asymmetry F in the γ p → ηp reaction up to a center-of-mass energy of W ¼ 1.9 GeV.The data were obtained with the Crystal-Ball/TAPS detector setup at the Glasgow tagged photon facility of the Mainz Microtron MAMI.All existing model predictions fail to reproduce the new data indicating a significant impact on our understanding of the underlying dynamics of η meson photoproduction.The peculiar nodal structure observed in existing T data close to threshold is not confirmed.

The Dalitz decays η → e + e -γ and ω → π 0 e + e -have been measured in the γp → ηp and γp → ωp reactions, respectively, with the A2 tagged-photon facility at the Mainz Microtron, MAMI.The value obtained for the slope parameter of the electromagnetic transition form factor of η,, is in good agreement with previous measurements of the η → e + e -γ and η → µ + µ -γ decays.The uncertainty obtained in the value of Λ -2 η is lower than in previous results based on the η → e + e -γ decay.The value obtained for the ω slope parameter, Λ -2 ωπ 0 = (1.99 ± 0.21tot) GeV -2 , is somewhat lower than previous measurements based on ω → π 0 µ + µ -, but the results for the ω transition form factor are in better agreement with theoretical calculations, compared to earlier experiments.

For the first time we checked the fundamental Gerasimov-Drell-Hearn (GDH) sum rule for the proton experimentally in the photon energy range from 0.2–2.9 GeV with the tagged photon facilities at MAMI (Mainz) and ELSA (Bonn). New data of the doubly polarized total cross section difference are presented in the energy range from 1.6 to 2.9 GeV. The contribution to the GDH integral from 0.2–2.9 GeV yields [254±5(stat)±12(syst)] μb with negative contributions in the Regge regime at photon energies above 2.1 GeV. This trend supports the validity of the GDH sum rule.Received 21 February 2004DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.93.032003©2004 American Physical Society

The helicity dependence of the γ p → pπ 0 reaction has been measured for the first time in the photon energy range from 550 to 790 MeV.The experiment, performed at the Mainz microtron MAMI, used a 4π-detector system, a circularly polarized, tagged photon beam, and a longitudinally polarized frozen-spin target.These data are predominantly sensitive to the D13(1520) resonance and are used to determine its parameters.

The helicity dependence of the total cross section for the γ→p→→nπ+π0 reaction has been measured for the first time at incident photon energies from 400 to 800 MeV. The measurement was performed with the large acceptance detector DAPHNE at the tagged photon beam facility of the MAMI accelerator in Mainz. This channel is found to be excited predominantly when the photon and proton have a parallel spin orientation, due to the intermediate production of the D13 resonance.

The helicity dependence of the total cross section for the γ→p→→pπ0π0 reaction has been measured for the first time at incident photon energies from 400 to 800 MeV. The measurement, performed at the tagged photon beam facility of the MAMI accelerator in Mainz, used the large acceptance detector DAPHNE and a longitudinally polarized frozen-spin target. This channel is found to be excited predominantly when the photon and proton have a parallel spin orientation, most likely due to the intermediate production of the D13(1520) resonance. However, the contribution of the antiparallel spin configuration, arising from other reaction mechanisms, is also not negligible. This result gives important new information to resolve the existing model discrepancies in the identification of the nucleon resonances contributing to this channel.

A precise measurement of the Dalitz plot parameter, $ \alpha$ , for the $ \eta$ → 3 $ \pi^{0}_{}$ decay is presented. The experiment was performed with the Crystal Ball and TAPS large-acceptance photon detectors at the tagged photon beam facility of the MAMI-B electron accelerator in Mainz. High statistics of 1.8 · 106 $ \eta$ → 3 $ \pi^{0}_{}$ events were obtained, giving the result $ \alpha$ = - 0.032±0.002stat±0.002syst .

Precise total cross-sections and invariant-mass distributions have been measured for photoproduction of pion pairs off the proton producing $\ensuremath p\pi^0\pi^0$ and $\ensuremath n\pi^+\pi^0$ final states from the threshold region up to 800MeV incident photon energy. Additionally, beam helicity asymmetries have been measured in the second resonance region (550MeV-820MeV). The experiment was performed at the tagged photon beam of the Mainz MAMI accelerator with the Crystal Ball and TAPS detectors combined to give an almost 4 $ \pi$ solid-angle electromagnetic calorimeter. The results are much more precise than any previous measurements and confirm the chiral perturbation theory predictions for the threshold behavior of these reactions. In the second resonance region, the invariant-mass distributions of meson-meson and meson-nucleon pairs are in reasonable agreement with model predictions, but none of the models reproduce the asymmetries for the mixed-charge channel.

The double polarization observable E and the helicity dependent cross sections σ_{1/2} and σ_{3/2} were measured for η photoproduction from quasifree protons and neutrons. The circularly polarized tagged photon beam of the A2 experiment at the Mainz MAMI accelerator was used in combination with a longitudinally polarized deuterated butanol target. The almost 4π detector setup of the Crystal Ball and TAPS is ideally suited to detect the recoil nucleons and the decay photons from η→2γ and η→3π^{0}. The results show that the narrow structure previously observed in η photoproduction from the neutron is only apparent in σ_{1/2} and hence, most likely related to a spin-1/2 amplitude. Nucleon resonances that contribute to this partial wave in η production are only N 1/2^{-} (S_{11}) and N 1/2^{+} (P_{11}). Furthermore, the extracted Legendre coefficients of the angular distributions for σ_{1/2} are in good agreement with recent reaction model predictions assuming a narrow resonance in the P_{11} wave as the origin of this structure.

The series of upgrades to the Large Hadron Collider, culminating in the High Luminosity Large Hadron Collider, will enable a significant expansion of the physics program of the CMS experiment. However, the accelerator upgrades will also make the experimental conditions more challenging, with implications for detector operations, triggering, and data analysis. The luminosity of the proton-proton collisions is expected to exceed $2-3\times10^{34}$~cm$^{-2}$s$^{-1}$ for Run 3 (starting in 2022), and it will be at least $5\times10^{34}$~cm$^{-2}$s$^{-1}$ when the High Luminosity Large Hadron Collider is completed for Run 4. These conditions will affect muon triggering, identification, and measurement, which are critical capabilities of the experiment. To address these challenges, additional muon detectors are being installed in the CMS endcaps, based on Gas Electron Multiplier technology. For this purpose, 161 large triple-Gas Electron Multiplier detectors have been constructed and tested. Installation of these devices began in 2019 with the GE1/1 station and will be followed by two additional stations, GE2/1 and ME0, to be installed in 2023 and 2026, respectively. The assembly and quality control of the GE1/1 detectors were distributed across several production sites around the world. We motivate and discuss the quality control procedures that were developed to standardize the performance of the detectors, and we present the final results of the production. Out of 161 detectors produced, 156 detectors passed all tests, and 144 detectors are now installed in the CMS experiment. The various visual inspections, gas tightness tests, intrinsic noise rate characterizations, and effective gas gain and response uniformity tests allowed the project to achieve this high success rate.

The total and the differential cross sections for the D(γ,p)n reaction have been measured over the photon energy range 100-800 MeV at the 855 MeV MAMI Microtron in Mainz. Using the large acceptance detector DAPHNE in conjunction with the Glasgow tagging spectrometer, high precision results with small systematic errors were obtained. The data are presented in the form of thirty-five angular distributions at c.m. proton angles between 30°–160° in 10° intervals and at photon energies in steps of 20 MeV. Previous experimental work is reassessed in the light of the present results and comparison with some recent theoretical calculations.

The reaction γp → pπ 0γ′ has been measured with the Crystal Ball/TAPS detectors using the energy-tagged photon beam at the electron accelerator facility MAMI-B. Energy and angular differential cross-sections for the emitted photon γ′ and angular differential cross-sections for the π0 have been determined with high statistics in the energy range of the Δ+ (1232)-resonance. Cross-sections and the ratio of the cross-section to the nonradiative process γp → pπ 0 are compared to theoretical reaction models, having the anomalous magnetic moment κ Δ as free parameter. As the shape of the experimental distributions is not reproduced in detail by the model calculations, currently no extraction of κ Δ is feasible.

Coherent photoproduction of π0-mesons from threshold (E th ≈ 136 MeV) throughout the Δ-resonance region and of η-mesons close to the production threshold (E th ≈ 570 MeV for η has been measured for 7Li nuclei. The experiment was performed using the tagged-photon beam of the Mainz MAMI accelerator with the Crystal Ball and TAPS detectors combined to give an almost 4π solid-angle electromagnetic calorimeter. The reactions were identified by a combined invariant-mass and missing-energy analysis. A comparison of the pion data to plane-wave impulse modelling tests the nuclear mass form factor. So far coherent η production had been only identified for the lightest nuclear systems (2H and 3He . For 3He a large enhancement of the cross section above plane-wave approximations had been reported, indicating the formation of a quasi-bound state. The present Li data for η production agree with a plane-wave approximation. Contrary to 3He , neither a threshold enhancement of the total cross section nor a deviation of the angular distributions from the expected form factor dependence were observed.

Precise angular distributions have been measured for the first time for the photoproduction of $π^{0}$-mesons off neutrons bound in the deuteron. The effects from nuclear Fermi motion have been eliminated by a complete kinematic reconstruction of the final state. The influence of final-state-interaction effects has been estimated by a comparison of the reaction cross section for quasi-free protons bound in the deuteron to the results for free protons and then applied as a correction to the quasi-free neutron data. The experiment was performed at the tagged photon facility of the Mainz Microtron MAMI with the Crystal Ball and TAPS detector setup for incident photon energies between $0.45$~GeV and $1.4$~GeV. The results are compared to the predictions from reaction models and partial-wave analyses based on data from other isospin channels. The model predictions show large discrepancies among each other and the present data will provide much tighter constraints. This is demonstrated by the results of a new analysis in the framework of the Bonn-Gatchina coupled-channel analysis which included the present data.

We report the first large-acceptance measurement of polarization transfer from a polarized photon beam to a recoiling nucleon. The measurement pioneers a novel polarimetry technique, which can be applied to many other nuclear and hadron physics experiments. The commissioning reaction of 1H(γ, p)π0 in the range 0.4<Eγ<1.4 GeV validates the technique and provides essential new data to constrain the excitation spectrum of the nucleon.

The Dalitz decay pi^0 -&gt; e^+e^-gamma has been measured in the gamma p -&gt; pi^0 p reaction with the A2 tagged-photon facility at the Mainz Microtron, MAMI. The value obtained for the slope parameter of the pi^0 electromagnetic transition form factor, a_pi = 0.030+/-0.010_tot, is in agreement with existing measurements of this decay and with recent theoretical calculations. The uncertainty obtained in the value of a_pi is lower than in previous results based on the pi^0 -&gt; e^+e^-gamma decay.

K+Λ(1405) photoproduction has been studied at the BGOOD experiment via the all neutral decay, Λ(1405)→Σ0π0. The unique BGOOD experimental setup allows both the cross section and Λ(1405) invariant mass distribution (line shape) to be measured over a broad K+ polar angle range, extending to extreme forward K+ angles unattainable at previous experiments. Evidence is provided for the role of a triangle singularity driven by the N⁎(2030) resonance, which appears to contribute significantly to K+Λ(1405) photoproduction. This is observed in the integrated cross section which was determined with unprecedented energy resolution and supported by the angular distributions. The measured line shape is also in agreement with the previous results of CLAS and ANKE, and is consistent with two poles derived in χPT based models.

Helicity-dependent total photoabsorption cross sections on the deuteron have been measured for the first time at ELSA (Bonn) in the photon energy range from 815 to 1825 MeV. Circularly polarized tagged photons impinging on a longitudinally polarized LiD target have been used together with a highly efficient 4pi detector system. The data around 1 GeV are not compatible with predictions from existing multipole analyses. From the measured energy range an experimental contribution to the GDH integral on the neutron of [33.9 +/- 5.5(stat) +/- 4.5(syst)] microb is extracted.

We present the first detailed measurement of incoherent photoproduction of neutral pions to a discrete state of a residual nucleus. The 12C(gamma,pi(0))(12)C*(4.4 MeV) reaction has been studied with the Glasgow photon tagger at MAMI employing a new technique which uses the large solid angle Crystal Ball detector both as a pi(0) spectrometer and to detect decay photons from the excited residual nucleus. The technique has potential applications to a broad range of future nuclear measurements with the Crystal Ball and similar detector systems elsewhere. Such data are sensitive to the propagation of the Delta in the nuclear medium and will give the first information on matter transition form factors from measurements with an electromagnetic probe. The incoherent cross sections are compared to two theoretical predictions including a Delta-hole model.

The circular photon asymmetry for pi0 eta photoproduction on the proton was measured for the first time at the tagged photon facility of the MAMI C accelerator using the Crystal Ball/TAPS photon spectrometer. The experimental results are interpreted within a phenomenological isobar model that confirms the dominant role of the Delta(1700)D33 resonance. The measured asymmetry allows us to identify small contributions from positive-parity resonances via interference terms with the dominant D33 amplitude.

Beam-helicity asymmetries have been measured at the MAMI accelerator in Mainz for the photoproduction of neutral pion pairs in the reactions $\vec{\gamma}p\rightarrow p\pi^0\pi^0$ and $\vec{\gamma}d\rightarrow (n)p\pi^0\pi^0$, $\vec{\gamma}d\rightarrow (p)n\pi^0\pi^0$ off free protons and off quasi-free nucleons bound in the deuteron for incident photon energies up to 1.4 GeV. Circularly polarized photons were produced from bremsstrahlung of longitudinally polarized electrons and tagged with the Glasgow magnetic spectrometer. Decay photons from the $\pi^0$ mesons, recoil protons, and recoil neutrons were detected in the 4$\pi$ covering electromagnetic calorimeter composed of the Crystal Ball and TAPS detectors. After kinematic reconstruction of the final state, excellent agreement was found between the results for free and quasi-free protons. This demonstrates that the free-nucleon behavior of such observables can be extracted from measurements with quasi-free nucleons, which is the only possibility for the neutron. Contrary to expectations, the measured asymmetries are very similar for reactions off protons and neutrons. The results are compared to the predictions from the Two-Pion-MAID reaction model and (for the proton) also to the Bonn-Gatchina coupled channel analysis.

Quasi-free photoproduction of $\eta$-mesons has been measured off nucleons bound in $^3$He nuclei for incident photon energies from the threshold region up to 1.4 GeV. The experiment was performed at the tagged photon facility of the Mainz MAMI accelerator with an almost $4\pi$ covering electromagnetic calorimeter, combining the TAPS and Crystal Ball detectors. The $\eta$-mesons were detected in coincidence with the recoil nucleons. This allowed a comparison of the production cross section off quasi-free protons and quasi-free neutrons and a full kinematic reconstruction of the final state, eliminating effects from nuclear Fermi motion. In the $S_{11}$(1535) resonance peak, the data agree with the neutron/proton cross section ratio extracted from measurements with deuteron targets. More importantly, the prominent structure observed in photoproduction off quasi-free neutrons bound in the deuteron is also clearly observed. Its parameters (width, strength) are consistent with the expectations from the deuteron results. On an absolute scale the cross sections for both quasi-free protons and neutrons are suppressed with respect to the deuteron target pointing to significant nuclear final state interaction effects.

Precise helicity-dependent cross sections and the double-polarization observable $E$ were measured for $\eta$ photoproduction from quasi-free protons and neutrons bound in the deuteron. The $\eta\rightarrow 2\gamma$ and $\eta\rightarrow 3\pi^0\rightarrow 6\gamma$ decay modes were used to optimize the statistical quality of the data and to estimate systematic uncertainties. The measurement used the A2 detector setup at the tagged photon beam of the electron accelerator MAMI in Mainz. A longitudinally polarized deuterated butanol target was used in combination with a circularly polarized photon beam from bremsstrahlung of a longitudinally polarized electron beam. The reaction products were detected with the electromagnetic calorimeters Crystal Ball and TAPS, which covered 98\% of the full solid angle. The results show that the narrow structure observed earlier in the unpolarized excitation function of $\eta$ photoproduction off the neutron appears only in reactions with antiparallel photon and nucleon spin ($\sigma_{1/2}$). It is absent for reactions with parallel spin orientation ($\sigma_{3/2}$) and thus very probably related to partial waves with total spin 1/2. The behavior of the angular distributions of the helicity-dependent cross sections was analyzed by fitting them with Legendre polynomials. The results are in good agreement with a model from the Bonn-Gatchina group, which uses an interference of $P_{11}$ and $S_{11}$ partial waves to explain the narrow structure.

The double-polarization observable $E$ and the helicity-dependent cross sections $\sigma_{1/2}$ and $\sigma_{3/2}$ have been measured for the first time for single $\pi^{0}$ photoproduction from protons and neutrons bound in the deuteron at the electron accelerator facility MAMI in Mainz, Germany. The experiment used a circularly polarized photon beam and a longitudinally polarized deuterated butanol target. The reaction products, recoil nucleons and decay photons from the $\pi^0$ meson were detected with the Crystal Ball and TAPS electromagnetic calorimeters. Effects from nuclear Fermi motion were removed by a kinematic reconstruction of the $\pi^{0}N$ final state. A comparison to data measured with a free proton target showed that the absolute scale of the cross sections is significantly modified by nuclear final-state interaction (FSI) effects. However, there is no significant effect on the asymmetry $E$ since the $\sigma_{1/2}$ and $\sigma_{3/2}$ components appear to be influenced in a similar way. Thus, the best approximation of the two helicity-dependent cross sections for the free neutron is obtained by combining the asymmetry $E$ measured with quasi-free neutrons and the unpolarized cross section corrected for FSI effects under the assumption that the FSI effects are similar for neutrons and protons.

The γp → π 0 p reaction was studied at laboratory photon energies from 425 to 1445 MeV with a transversely polarized target and a longitudinally polarized beam.The beam-target asymmetry F was measured for the first time and new high precision data for the target asymmetry T were obtained.The experiment was performed at the photon tagging facility of the Mainz Microtron (MAMI) using the Crystal Ball and TAPS photon spectrometers.The polarized cross sections were expanded in terms of associated Legendre functions and compared to recent predictions from several partial-wave analyses.The impact of the new data on our understanding of the underlying partial-wave amplitudes and baryon resonance contributions is discussed.

The $\gamma n \to \pi^0 n$ differential cross section evaluated for 27 energy bins span the photon-energy range 290-813 MeV (W = 1.195-1.553 GeV) and the pion c.m. polar production angles, ranging from 18 deg to 162 deg, making use of model-dependent nuclear corrections to extract pi0 production data on the neutron from measurements on the deuteron target. Additionally, the total photoabsorption cross section was measured. The tagged photon beam produced by the 883-MeV electron beam of the Mainz Microtron MAMI was used for the 0-meson production. Our accumulation of 3.6 x 10^6 $\gamma n \to \pi^0 n$ events allowed a detailed study of the reaction dynamics. Our data are in reasonable agreement with previous A2 measurements and extend them to lower energies. The data are compared to predictions of previous SAID, MAID, and BnGa partial-wave analyses and to the latest SAID fit MA19 that included our data. Selected photon decay amplitudes $N^* \to \gamma n$ at the resonance poles are determined for the first time.

Abstract The BGOOD experiment at the ELSA facility in Bonn has been commissioned within the framework of an international collaboration. The experiment pursues a systematic investigation of non-strange and strange meson photoproduction, in particular t -channel processes at low momentum transfer. The setup uniquely combines a central almost $$4\pi $$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:mrow><mml:mn>4</mml:mn><mml:mi>π</mml:mi></mml:mrow></mml:math> acceptance BGO crystal calorimeter with a large aperture forward magnetic spectrometer providing excellent detection of both neutral and charged particles, complementary to other setups such as Crystal Barrel, Crystal Ball, LEPS and CLAS.

A precise measurement of the differential cross sections dσ/dΩ and the linearly polarized photon beam asymmetry Σ_{3} for Compton scattering on the proton below pion threshold has been performed with a tagged photon beam and almost 4π detector at the Mainz Microtron. The incident photons were produced by the recently upgraded Glasgow-Mainz photon tagging facility and impinged on a cryogenic liquid hydrogen target, with the scattered photons detected in the Crystal Ball/TAPS setup. Using the highest statistics Compton scattering data ever measured on the proton along with two effective field theories (both covariant baryon and heavy-baryon) and one fixed-t dispersion relation model, constraining the fits with the Baldin sum rule, we have obtained the proton electric and magnetic polarizabilities with unprecedented precision: α_{E1}=10.99±0.16±0.47±0.17±0.34, β_{M1}=3.14±0.21±0.24±0.20±0.35; in units of 10^{-4} fm^{3} where the errors are statistical, systematic, spin polarizability dependent, and model dependent.

The total cross section for the $\ensuremath{\gamma}n\ensuremath{\rightarrow}p{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ensuremath{-}}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{0}$ reaction has been measured over the photon energy range 450--800 MeV at the 855 MeV MAMI Microtron in Mainz with the large acceptance detector DAPHNE and using a deuterium target. As expected, this reaction has a very similar cross section to the $\ensuremath{\gamma}p\ensuremath{\rightarrow}n{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{0}$ channel and its amplitude is strongly underestimated by the existing double pion photoproduction models.

The helicity dependence of the $\ensuremath{\gamma}p\ensuremath{\rightarrow}n{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+}$ reaction has been measured for the first time in the photon energy range from 450 to 790 MeV. The experiment, performed at the Mainz Microtron (MAMI), used a $4\ensuremath{\pi}$-detector system, a circularly polarized, tagged photon beam, and a longitudinally polarized frozen-spin target. Although these polarized data are mainly sensitive to mechanisms involving the ${D}_{13}(1520)$ resonance, a cusp structure at the \ensuremath{\eta} production threshold can be clearly observed. These data are significantly different from the predictions of the existing multipole analyses and are used to determine the helicity amplitudes of the ${D}_{13}(1520)$ and ${S}_{11}(1535)$ resonances with improved accuracy.

A measurement of the helicity dependence of the total inclusive photoabsorption cross section on the deuteron was carried out at MAMI (Mainz) in the energy range $200&lt;{E}_{\ensuremath{\gamma}}&lt;800\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{MeV}$. The experiment used a $4\ensuremath{\pi}$ detection system, a circularly polarized tagged photon beam and a frozen-spin target which provided longitudinally polarized deuterons. The contribution to the Gerasimov-Drell-Hearn sum rule for the deuteron determined from the data is $407\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}20(\mathrm{stat})\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}24(\mathrm{syst})\text{ }\text{ }\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{b}$ for $200&lt;{E}_{\ensuremath{\gamma}}&lt;800\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{MeV}$.

A new measurement of the rare, doubly radiative decay eta->pi^0 gamma gamma was conducted with the Crystal Ball and TAPS multiphoton spectrometers together with the photon tagging facility at the Mainz Microtron MAMI. New data on the dependence of the partial decay width, Gamma(eta->pi^0 gamma gamma), on the two-photon invariant mass squared, m^2(gamma gamma), as well as a new, more precise value for the decay width, Gamma(eta->pi^0 gamma gamma) = (0.33+/-0.03_tot) eV, are based on analysis of 1.2 x 10^3 eta->pi^0 gamma gamma decays from a total of 6 x 10^7 eta mesons produced in the gamma p -> eta p reaction. The present results for dGamma(eta->pi^0 gamma gamma)/dm^2(gamma gamma) are in good agreement with previous measurements and recent theoretical calculations for this dependence.

Beam-helicity asymmetries have been measured at the MAMI accelerator in Mainz for the photoproduction of mixed-charge pion pairs in the reactions $ \gamma p\rightarrow n\pi^{0}\pi^{+}$ off free protons and $ \gamma d \rightarrow (p)p\pi^{0}\pi^{-}$ and $ \gamma d\rightarrow (n)n\pi^{0}\pi^{+}$ off quasi-free nucleons bound in the deuteron for incident photon energies up to 1.4GeV. Circularly polarized photons were produced from bremsstrahlung of longitudinally polarized electrons and tagged with the Glasgow-Mainz magnetic spectrometer. The charged pions, recoil protons, recoil neutrons, and decay photons from $ \pi^{0}$ mesons were detected in the $ 4\pi$ electromagnetic calorimeter composed of the Crystal Ball and TAPS detectors. Using a complete kinematic reconstruction of the final state, excellent agreement was found between the results for free and quasi-free protons, suggesting that the quasi-free neutron results are also a close approximation of the free-neutron asymmetries. A comparison of the results to the predictions of the Two-Pion-MAID reaction model shows that the reaction mechanisms are still not well understood, in particular at low incident photon energies in the second nucleon-resonance region.

The scalar dipole polarizabilities, $\alpha_{E1}$ and $\beta_{M1}$, are fundamental properties related to the internal dynamics of the nucleon. The currently accepted values of the proton polarizabilities were determined by fitting to unpolarized proton Compton scattering cross section data. The measurement of the beam asymmetry $\Sigma_{3}$ in a certain kinematical range provides an alternative approach to the extraction of the scalar polarizabilities. At the Mainz Microtron (MAMI) the beam asymmetry was measured for Compton scattering below pion photoproduction threshold for the first time. The results are compared with model calculations and the influence of the experimental data on the extraction of the scalar polarizabilities is determined.

Photoproduction of πη-pairs from nucleons has been investigated from threshold up to incident photon energies of ≈ 1.4 GeV. The quasi-free reactions γp→pπ0η, γn→nπ0η, γp→nπ+η, and γn→pπ−η were for the first time measured from nucleons bound in the deuteron. The corresponding reactions from a free-proton target were also studied to investigate final-state interaction effects (for neutral pions the free-proton results could be compared to previous measurements; the γp→nπ+η reaction was measured for the first time). For the π0η final state coherent production via the γd→dπ0η reaction was also investigated. The experiments were performed at the tagged photon beam of the Mainz MAMI accelerator using an almost 4π coverage electromagnetic calorimeter composed of the Crystal Ball and TAPS detectors. The total cross sections for the four different final states obey the relation σ(pπ0η)≈σ(nπ0η)≈2σ(pπ−η)≈2σ(nπ+η) as expected for a dominant contribution from a Δ⋆→ηΔ(1232)→πηN reaction chain, which is also supported by the shapes of the invariant-mass distributions of nucleon–meson and π–η pairs. The experimental results are compared to the predictions from an isobar reaction model.

Total cross sections, angular distributions, and invariant-mass distributions have been measured for the photoproduction of $ \pi^{0}\pi^{0}$ pairs off free protons and off nucleons bound in the deuteron. The experiments were performed at the MAMI accelerator facility in Mainz using the Glasgow photon tagging spectrometer and the Crystal Ball/TAPS detector. The accelerator delivered electron beams of 1508 and 1557MeV, which produced bremsstrahlung in thin radiator foils. The tagged photon beam covered energies up to 1400MeV. The data from the free proton target are in good agreement with previous measurements and were only used to test the analysis procedures. The results for differential cross sections (angular distributions and invariant-mass distributions) for free and quasi-free protons are almost identical in shape, but differ in absolute magnitude up to 15%. Thus, moderate final-state interaction effects are present. The data for quasi-free neutrons are similar to the proton data in the second resonance region (final-state invariant masses up to $ \approx 1550$ MeV), where both reactions are dominated by the $ N(1520)3/2^{-} \rightarrow \Delta(1232)3/2^{+}\pi$ decay. At higher energies, angular and invariant-mass distributions are different. A simple analysis of the shapes of the invariant-mass distributions in the third resonance region is consistent with strong contributions of an $ N^{\star}\rightarrow N\sigma$ decay for the proton, while the reaction is dominated by a sequential decay via a $ \Delta\pi$ intermediate state for the neutron. The data are compared to predictions from the Two-Pion-MAID model and the Bonn-Gatchina coupled-channel analysis.

Polarisation-dependent differential cross sections σT associated with the target asymmetry T have been measured for the reaction γp→→pπ0 with transverse target polarisation from π0 threshold to photon energies of 190 MeV. The data were obtained using a frozen-spin butanol target with the Crystal Ball / TAPS detector set-up and the Glasgow photon tagging system at the Mainz Microtron MAMI. Results for σT have been used in combination with our previous measurements of the unpolarised cross section σ0 and the beam asymmetry Σ for a model-independent determination of S- and P-wave multipoles in the π0 threshold region, which includes for the first time a direct determination of the imaginary part of the E0+ multipole.

Quasi-free photoproduction of $\pi\eta$-pairs has been investigated from threshold up to incident photon energies of 1.4 GeV, respectively up to photon-nucleon invariant masses up to 1.9 GeV. Total cross sections, angular distributions, invariant-mass distributions of the $\pi\eta$ and meson-nucleon pairs, and beam-helicity asymmetries have been measured for the reactions $\gamma p\rightarrow p\pi^0\eta$, $\gamma n\rightarrow n\pi^0\eta$, $\gamma p\rightarrow n\pi^+\eta$, and $\gamma n\rightarrow p\pi^-\eta$ from nucleons bound inside the deuteron. For the $\gamma p$ initial state data for free protons have also been analyzed. Finally, the total cross sections for quasi-free production of $\pi^0\eta$ pairs from nucleons bound in $^3$He nuclei have been investigated in view of final state interaction (FSI) effects. The experiments were performed at the tagged photon beam facility of the Mainz MAMI accelerator using an almost $4\pi$ covering electromagnetic calorimeter composed of the Crystal Ball and TAPS detectors. The shapes of all differential cross section data and the asymmetries are very similar for protons and neutrons and agree with the conjecture that the reactions are dominated by the sequential $\Delta^{\star}3/2^-\rightarrow\eta\Delta(1232)\rightarrow\pi\eta N$ decay chain, mainly with $\Delta(1700)3/2^-$ and $\Delta(1940)3/2^-$. The ratios of the magnitude of the total cross sections also agree with this assumption. However, the absolute magnitudes of the cross sections are reduced by FSI effects with respect to free proton data.

Triple-GEM detector technology was recently selected by CMS for a part of the upgrade of its forward muon detector system as GEM detectors provide a stable operation in the high radiation environment expected during the future High-Luminosity phase of the Large Hadron Collider (HL-LHC). In a first step, GEM chambers (detectors) will be installed in the innermost muon endcap station in the $1.6<\left|\eta\right|<2.2$ pseudo-rapidity region, mainly to control level-1 muon trigger rates after the second LHC Long Shutdown. These new chambers will add redundancy to the muon system in the $\eta$-region where the background rates are high, and the bending of the muon trajectories due to the CMS magnetic field is small. A novel construction technique for such chambers has been developed in such a way where foils are mounted onto a single stack and then uniformly stretched mechanically, avoiding the use of spacers and glue inside the active gas volume. We describe the layout, the stretching mechanism and the overall assembly technique of such GEM chambers.

This work measured $d\sigma/d\Omega$ for neutral kaon photoproduction reactions from threshold up to a c.m.\ energy of 1855MeV, focussing specifically on the $\gamma p\rightarrow K^0\Sigma^+$, $\gamma n\rightarrow K^0\Lambda$, and $\gamma n\rightarrow K^0 \Sigma^0$ reactions. Our results for $\gamma n\rightarrow K^0 \Sigma^0$ are the first-ever measurements for that reaction. These data will provide insight into the properties of $N^*$ resonances and, in particular, will lead to an improved knowledge about those states that couple only weakly to the $\pi N$ channel. Integrated cross sections were extracted by fitting the differential cross sections for each reaction as a series of Legendre polynomials and our results are compared with prior experimental results and theoretical predictions.

$\gamma p \rightarrow K^+ \Lambda$ differential cross sections and recoil polarisation data from threshold for extremely forward angles are presented. The measurements were performed at the BGOOD experiment at ELSA, utilising the high angular and momentum resolution forward spectrometer for charged particle identification. The data discriminates between conflicting results in the world data set and enable extraction of the cross section as the minimum momentum transfer to the recoiling hyperon is approached.

We report the measurement of the helicity asymmetry $E$ for the $p\pi^0$ and $n\pi^+$ final states using, for the first time, an elliptically polarized photon beam in combination with a longitudinally polarized target at the Crystal Ball experiment at MAMI. The results agree very well with data that were taken with a circularly polarized photon beam, showing that it is possible to simultaneously measure polarization observables that require linearly (e.g.~$G$) and circularly polarized photons (e.g.~$E$) and a longitudinally polarized target. The new data cover a photon energy range 270 - 1400 MeV for the $p\pi^0$ final state (230 - 842 MeV for the $n\pi^+$ final state) and the full range of pion polar angles, $\theta$, providing the most precise measurement of the observable $E$. A moment analysis gives a clear observation of the $p\eta$ cusp in the $p\pi^0$ final state.

The BGOOD photoproduction experiment accesses forward meson angles and low momentum exchange kinematics in the uds sector, which may be sensitive to molecular-like hadron structure. Recent results are presented, including strangeness photoproduction at forward meson angles, and π 0 π 0 co herent photoproduction off the deuteron.

We report the measurement of the helicity asymmetry E for the pπ^{0} and nπ^{+} final states using, for the first time, an elliptically polarized photon beam in combination with a longitudinally polarized target at the Crystal Ball experiment at MAMI. The results agree very well with data that were taken with a circularly polarized photon beam, showing that it is possible to simultaneously measure polarization observables that require linearly (e.g., G) and circularly polarized photons (e.g., E) and a longitudinally polarized target. The new data cover a photon energy range 270-1400 MeV for the pπ^{0} final state (230-842 MeV for the nπ^{+} final state) and the full range of pion polar angles, θ, providing the most precise measurement of the observable E. A moment analysis gives a clear observation of the pη cusp in the pπ^{0} final state.

In view of the High Luminosity upgrade of the CERN LHC, the forward CMS Muon spectrometer will be extended with two new stations of improved Resistive Plate Chambers (iRPC) covering the pseudorapidity range from 1.8 to 2.4. Compared to the present RPC system, the gap thickness is reduced to lower the avalanche charge, and an innovative 2D strip readout geometry is proposed. These improvements will allow iRPC detector to cope with higher background rates. A new Front-End-Board (FEB) is designed to readout iRPC signals with a threshold as low as 30 fC and an integrated Time Digital Converter with a resolution of 30 ps. In addition, the communication bandwidth is significantly increased by using optical fibers. The history, final design, certification, and calibration of this FEB are presented.

A measurement of the helicity dependence of the total inclusive photoabsorption cross section on the deuteron was carried out at MAMI (Mainz) in the energy range 200<Eγ<800MeV. The experiment used a 4π detection system, a circularly polarized tagged photon beam and a frozen spin target which provided longitudinally polarized deuterons. These new results are a significant improvement on the existing data and allow a detailed comparison with state-of-the-art calculations.

The g p -> K^0 Sigma^+ reaction has been measured from threshold to Eg=1.45 GeV (W_cm=1.9 GeV) using the Crystal Ball and TAPS multiphoton spectrometers together with the photon tagging facility at the Mainz Microtron MAMI. In the present experiment, this reaction was searched for in the 3pi^0 p final state, by assuming K^0_S -> pi^0 pi^0 and Sigma^+ -> pi^0 p. The experimental results include total and differential cross sections as well as the polarization of the recoil hyperon. The new data significantly improve empirical knowledge about the g p -> K^0 Sigma^+ reaction in the measured energy range. The results are compared to previous measurements and model predictions. It is demonstrated that adding the present g p -> K^0 Sigma^+ results to existing data allowed a better description of this reaction with various models.

Here we correct a factor of 2 missed in one of figures and the corresponding sentence in the text. It does not change any conclusions.Received 13 June 2011DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.84.029901©2011 American Physical Society

The data available from the A2 Collaboration at MAMI were analyzed to select the γp→π0ηp reaction on an event-by-event basis, which allows for partial-wave analyses of three-body final states to obtain more reliable results, compared to fits to measured distributions. These data provide the world's best statistical accuracy in the energy range from threshold to Eγ=1.45 GeV, allowing a finer energy binning in the measurement of all observables needed for understanding the reaction dynamics. The results obtained for the measured observables are compared to existing models, and the impact from the new data is checked by the fit with the revised Mainz model.11 MoreReceived 7 March 2018DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.97.055212©2018 American Physical SocietyPhysics Subject Headings (PhySH)Research AreasParticle & resonance productionPhotonuclear reactionsPhysical SystemsProtonsNuclear Physics

We report a measurement of the spin polarisation of the recoiling neutron in deuterium photodisintegration, utilising a new large acceptance polarimeter within the Crystal Ball at MAMI. The measured photon energy range of 300~--~700~MeV provides the first measurement of recoil neutron polarisation at photon energies where the quark substructure of the deuteron plays a role, thereby providing important new constraints on photodisintegration mechanisms. A very high neutron polarisation in a narrow structure centred around $E_{\gamma}\sim$~570~MeV is observed, which is inconsistent with current theoretical predictions employing nucleon resonance degrees of freedom. A Legendre polynomial decomposition suggests this behaviour could be related to the excitation of the $d^*(2380)$ hexaquark.

The coherent reaction, $\gamma d \rightarrow \pi^0\pi^0 d$ was studied with the BGOOD experiment at ELSA from threshold to a centre-of-mass energy of 2850\,MeV. A full kinematic reconstruction was made, with final state deuterons identified in the forward spectrometer and $\pi^0$ decays in the central BGO Rugby Ball. The strength of the differential cross section exceeds what can be described by models of coherent photoproduction and instead supports the three isoscalar dibaryon candidates reported by the ELPH collaboration at 2.38, 2.47 and 2.63\,GeV/c$^2$. A low mass enhancement in the $\pi^0\pi^0$ invariant mass is also observed at the $d^*(2380)$ centre-of-mass energy which is consistent with the ABC effect. At higher centre-of-mass energies, a narrow peak in the $\pi^0 d$ invariant mass at 2114\,MeV/c$^2$ with a width of 20\,MeV/c$^2$ supports a sequential two-dibaryon decay mechanism.

The invariant mass distributions of the $\ensuremath{\gamma}\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{n}p{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ensuremath{-}}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{0}$ reaction have been determined from a measurement in the photon energy range $500\ensuremath{-}800 \mathrm{MeV}$ at the MAMI Mainz accelerator with the large acceptance detector DAPHNE and using a deuterium target. At the higher photon energies, the invariant mass spectra of the $({\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ensuremath{-}}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{0})$ system show a peak at larger invariant mass values, a signature of a $\ensuremath{\pi}\ensuremath{\pi}$ correlated emission in the final state.

The largest, at the moment, statistics of 7 × 10 6 η → 3π 0 decays, based on 6.2 × 10 7 η mesons produced in the γp → ηp reaction, has been accumulated by the A2 Collaboration at the Mainz Microtron, MAMI.It allowed a detailed study of the η → 3π 0 dynamics beyond its conventional parametrization with just the quadratic slope parameter α and enabled, for the first time, a measurement of the second-order term and a better understanding of the cusp structure in the neutral decay.The present data are also compared to recent theoretical calculations that predict a nonlinear dependence along the quadratic distance from the Dalitz-plot center.

We report the first large-acceptance measurement of the beam–spin asymmetry for deuteron photodisintegration (γ→d→pn) in the photon energy range 420<Eγ<620MeV. The measurement provides important new constraints on the mechanisms of photodisintegration above the Δ resonance and on the photocoupling of the recently discovered d⁎(2380) hexaquark.

In this work the design of a constant fraction discriminator (CFD) to be used in the VFAT3 chip for the read-out of the triple-GEM detectors of the CMS experiment, is described. A prototype chip containing 8 CFDs was implemented using 130 nm CMOS technology and test results are shown.

We present an analysis technique (“range method”) that optimizes particle discrimination and enables energy reconstruction using a sampling detector. The method is a powerful extension of the well known dEdx - E technique in which the energy loss rate measured by several scintillator layers is fitted on the theoretical energy-range curves. The general features of the method will be discussed and its application to nuclear physics investigations at intermediate energies with the DAPHNE detector. Momentum reconstruction for protons with a resolution of ΔPP = 2.5−10% (FWHM) in the range P = 300–900 MeV/c has been obtained.

The total photoabsorption cross section for ${}^{4}$He has been measured for the first time over a wide photon energy range (200 MeV$<~{E}_{\ensuremath{\gamma}}<~$800 MeV). By using the large acceptance detector DAPHNE at the tagged photon facility of the MAMI microtron in Mainz high precision results with small systematic errors were obtained. This measurement shows that ${}^{4}$He has a behavior similar to heavy nuclei and, in particular, a reduction of the cross section with respect to the lighter nuclei is found for ${E}_{\ensuremath{\gamma}}>$600 MeV.

High-statistics measurements of the photon asymmetry $\Sigma$ for the $\overrightarrow{\gamma}p\rightarrow\pi^{0}p$ reaction have been made in the center-of-mass energy range $W=1214-1450$ MeV. The data were measured with the MAMI A2 real photon beam and Crystal Ball/TAPS detector systems in Mainz, Germany. The results significantly improve the existing world data and are shown to be in good agreement with previous measurements, and with the MAID, SAID, and Bonn-Gatchina predictions. We have also combined the photon asymmetry results with recent cross-section measurements from Mainz to calculate the profile functions, $\check{\Sigma} (= \sigma_{0}\Sigma)$ , and perform a moment analysis. Comparison with calculations from the Bonn-Gatchina model shows that the precision of the data is good enough to further constrain the higher partial waves, and there is an indication of interference between the very small F-waves and the $N(1520) 3/2^{-}$ and $N(1535) 1/2^{-}$ resonances.

The cross section of the 3He(γ,pp)n reaction has been measured for the first time over a wide photon energy and proton angular range (200 MeV ≤ Eγ ≤ 800 MeV; 20° ≤ ϑplab ≤ 160°) using the large acceptance detector DAPHNE at the tagged photon facility of the MAMI microtron in Mainz. The wide kinematical coverage of the measurement has allowed a detailed analysis of three-nucleon absorption mechanisms. A model developed by Laget explains the main characteristics of the data in the Δ resonance region.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate boron distribution for a safe and effective BNCT (Boron Neutron Capture Therapy) of liver metastases. Samples both from healthy and tumour liver parenchyma were analysed, after i.v. boron administration, by: alpha particles counting under neutron irradiation; morphological analysis by standard haematoxylin-eosin staining; neutron autoradiography. Our method was unaffected by the cytological heterogeneity inside tumour nodules; it demonstrated selective boron distribution in tumour tissue and predicted estimated mean therapeutic doses in tumour and safety doses in healthy tissue. The time interval for efficient BNCT was 2 to 4 hours after i.v. boron administration.

The first data on target and beam-target asymmetries for the $\gamma p\to\pi^0\eta p$ reaction at photon energies from 1050 up to 1450 MeV are presented. The measurements were performed using the Crystal Ball and TAPS detector setup at the Glasgow tagged photon facility of the Mainz Microtron MAMI. The general assumption that the reaction is dominated by the $\Delta 3/2^-$ amplitude is confirmed. The data are in particular sensitive to small contributions from other partial waves.

The Compton double-polarization observable 2z has been measured for the first time in the (1232) resonance region using a circularly polarized photon beam incident on a longitudinally polarized proton target at the Mainz Microtron.This paper reports these results, together with the model-dependent extraction of four proton spin polarizabilities from fits to additional asymmetry data using either a dispersion relation calculation or a baryon chiral perturbation theory calculations with the weighted average of these two fits resulting in γ E 1E 1 = -2.87 ± 0.52, γ M1M1 = 2.70 ± 0.43, γ E 1M2 = -0.85± 0.72, and γ M1E 2 = 2.04 ± 0.43, in units of 10 -4 fm 4 .